Avatar Kori
by ohgodthespian
Summary: Kori is your average earth bender. He is just trying to master earth bending and balance all of the things in the world that matter most: school, girls, and pimples. His twin brother is an Air bending master and resents Kori for being born an earth bender. The next avatar is an earth bender. It comes a surprise to everyone when the White Lotus appear and tell Kori he is the Avatar
1. Chapter 1

When I was a boy my father told me stories about the past Avatars and their many achievements. He told of Avatar Aang and how he ended the war between the elements; he told of Avatar Korra and how she ended the war between benders and non-benders. His stories were wild and fanciful. Even though they were old tales, I never got tired of hearing them. Growing up, there were many days spent between my friends and I reenacting both of these stories. I never got to be the Avatar though. Every time I made the suggestion that I would be the Avatar everyone laughed and said I didn't qualify because I wasn't an air bender or a water bender or a girl. Little did we know that on my sixteenth birthday that would all change; when I found out I was the Avatar.

Book One: Earth

Chapter One: The Announcement

"Happy birthday Kori and Hunter!" A group of people practically screamed at my brother and me as we entered our house. Like I promised my mom, I put on a surprised face. She knew I would realize there was a large amount of people in the house before I entered and would quickly put two and two together so she told me in advance. I had to promise not to tell Hunter but that was all right with me. Her wink confirmed my believability as I was bombarded with chants of how surprised I looked. I simply shrugged my shoulders at everyone and waited until the commotion settled down. Commotion never was my thing and I knew how odd that was coming from an earth bender. I probably was the quietest earth bender in the world. Not that I was an excellent earth bender or anything.

Not compared to my twin brother at least. He had always excelled in bending faster and better than me. He was an air bender, and already a master before our fifteenth birthday. This overjoyed our father, as he was an air-bending master. Because of this, Hunter was always Avatar Aang when we played the adventure of the Gaang. I often suspected Hunter wished he was an earth bender. Sometimes I thought everyone wished that. The next cycle would be an earth bender and had yet been released to whom it was. Hunter would have made an excellent Avatar and everyone knew I wouldn't be the Avatar. No one ever said it aloud, but I knew everyone wondered how I was the earth bender and Hunter was the air bender.

Air benders were more common now than during the last Avatar's time, but they were almost like red-haired people. Having a brother as one of those was a cool reminder that somewhere in my family heritage I was related to Avatar Aang.

I made my way through the people to find whom I really wanted to see at this party: Leah. It was almost a guarantee that this fire bender would be sitting at the back of the room with a ball of fire being tossed between her hands. She wasn't the most social person in the world, which is probably why I was friends with her. As ironic as that sounded to me it made perfect sense. I couldn't take overly talkative people, and Leah hardly talked at all. It was perfect.

When I found Leah lighting candles on the cake I was a bit surprised. "You're actually helping do something that involves taking direction and maybe talking to people? I know it's my birthday, but I don't know if I can handle that surprise," I joked. She stopped and looked up at me, obviously not prepared to be caught in the act. A smile crept across her face and continued with the cake. It was her way of saying _Don't expect too much more._ And I was perfectly all right with that.

Before I could say anything else to her an invisible force pulled me back into the living room area. "Hunter! Warn me the next time you do that," I yelped, taken aback by the wind being knocked from me quite literally. I knew it was Hunter pulling this due to the style of bending. Hunter had created his own style that looked similar to earth bending and had more attack than defense. It was what had earned him his tattoos.

"Sorry bro, mom said she wanted you here and I really wanted to do that," Hunter claimed and sat in a chair that he brought to him by bending the air. It was a little annoying that he thought it was better to have the air doing all the manual work for him. Sure it was cool to watch, but it did disrupt the air everywhere else around him and mainly disrupted the people more than anything else.

I knew if I protested too much about wanting to wait to open my presents my mom would be upset so I plopped down on the couch and waited for the first present to be handed to me. I really wanted a meteor rock set and a metal rock set. I was still trying to learn how to metal bend and my favorite thing to do was turn them into round balls and juggle them through the air. It was a really good party trick too.

"This first one is from-" my mom started but paused because of a knock at the door. Everyone stopped and looked at the door. It was a really weird thing but I guess it startled everyone.

"I'll get it!" Hunter announced and went to open the door with air bending. My mom stopped him by moving the ground to act as a doorstop and gave Hunter a stern look. I knew a knock on the door like that was something official and so did our mom.

My dad beat my mom to the door and opened it to reveal two members of the White Lotus, in their dress robes and everything. It was even uncommon to see the White Lotus in dress robes unless it was for a serious official manner. Robes were considered fancy and delegate and I only owned one pair myself that I could count the times I had worn it on one hand. I much preferred jeans and t-shirts that somehow had been made by earth benders. The room remained quiet. Unless they were trying to get my dad to join again, someone was in trouble.

"We need a word with Kori and his family," one of them said, looking straight at me. The room seemed to freeze. Why would the White Lotus want to talk with me? I hadn't done anything, unless tripping Kozu after school with a bit of earth bending. But no one except Leah had seen me do it and it was only because the nasty fire bender tried to make an unwanted pass at Leah.

Murmurs had filled the room. I couldn't exactly hear what they were saying but I knew I was the topic of discussion. My dad led the White Lotus, my mom, Hunter, and finally me through the back door out onto our back porch. I stuck my hands into my pocket and bended the bit of rock that I kept as a stress relief. It had metal in it, which made it difficult for me to bend easily, which took the focus of whatever was bothering me off of me.

"First we would like to say happy birthday to both Kori and Hunter," one of them started. How did they know it was my birthday? "The reason we have come to you today is because we have some news that greatly affects you and your family. Kori, you are the Avatar." The world seemed to freeze. I was what? There was no way I was the Avatar. What were they saying to me? Hunter's mouth was gaping open. I was sure my mouth was gaping open. I couldn't be the Avatar. I was just an earth bender, and a terrible one at that. There was no way I was Avatar material.

"I realize this comes as a shock," the other one said. "And the past two Avatars knew they were the Avatar before you only because the world was in grave danger. It is tradition that the Avatar is told of his or her identity at sixteen." My mouth was dry. I wanted to reply and say something to both of them but I couldn't even make a sound. Me… the Avatar. Avatar Kori. I couldn't believe it.

"What does this mean for us?" my mother asked.

"Kori will need to start learning how to master the elements," one of the White Lotus guys said.

"I thought the world was okay?" I sputtered out before I could catch myself. It came out rude and my dad glared at me.

"Yes, at the current moment there are no problems with the world. However, the Avatar must master all four elements in the event a problem arises. Kori, the balance of the world is in your hands now."

I thought I was going to be sick. I was only sixteen. Puberty was still affecting me. Sometimes my voice still cracked. I fought pimples. I was learning how to drive. I was an average student in school and struggling a little in becoming a master of earth bending. Sure it was because I wasn't completely focused but that didn't mean if I did focus I could be the best. I was terrible at talking to girls that I liked. These were all normal teenager problems. And now I had the world on my hands? That was definitely not a normal teenager problem.

"What do I have to do?" I managed to say next, nervously bending the bit of earth in my pocket.

"You will start training with master Hanau next week," one of the White Lotus guys said. They looked very similar and I don't remember learning their names.

"Who is master Hanau?" Hunter asked in a snide way. Somehow no one but me noticed the coldness in his tone.

"Master Hanau is the best earth bender teacher for Kori and the police chief officer in Capital city," one of the White Lotus guys replied.

"C-captial city?" I stuttered out.

The White Lotus guys nodded and then one of them broke the worst news I could possibly hear. "We are moving you all to Capital city. We need to keep Kori under our supervision now that his status as Avatar will soon spread like wildfire. The buzz of who the next Avatar is will be very loud and we need to ensure the safety of both the Avatar and his family."

"You can't do that!" I yelled and accidentally earth bended the ground to form walls around everyone. "Sorry." Sometimes when I would lose my temper I would accidentally earth bend things. I didn't lose my temper often, so I never had the chance to control it.

"Yes, we can do that. I am sorry to say this, but it is for your own good," One of the White Lotus guys said solemnly.

Finding out I was the Avatar was hard enough, and now I had to move away from all of my friends? This was unfair. I stormed off, back into the house and into my room, slamming the door and creating a new one with earth bending. I didn't care that there were still people in my house. I wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't leaving. I wasn't mastering all of the elements. I wasn't going to be the Avatar. I wasn't. My mind focused on keeping the earth barrier around me. My mom would try to break it down, and even though I hadn't mastered earth bending, I was strong and my walls couldn't be broken down by anyone I had encountered so far.

My phone vibrating in my pocket pulled me out of a trance. With the whole Avatar talk going on I had forgotten it was modern times and cellphones existed. Whenever I thought of the Avatar I thought of a time before technology. It had been eighty or so years, maybe a little longer, since the world really needed the Avatar to do Avatar duties so all of the stories took place before cell phones were even thought of. It was weird to think about, but bending evolved with the times.

Earth benders who could metal bend built cars. There were even earth benders making clothing somehow. I guessed because the cloth originally came from the earth, but I had never cared to look into that. Fire benders who could lightning bend had jobs in the power plants. It was mainly the air benders who were in charge because of their typically cool heads and thoughtful actions. Water benders had jobs from anywhere in the area of plumbing and piping to firefighting and controlling the water supply of the world. A lot of benders from various elements came together to build houses and other buildings. There seemed to be an even divide of benders and non-benders. Times were a lot different than those of Avatar Korra and Avatar Aang, but different in a good way; different in an informational way.

'U ok?' the text read; it was from Leah.

'No. Not best 2 talk bout now thru txt' I replied.

'Then let me in,' the text read before I heard banging on the wall. I realized this could have been a trick to get me to let my wall down, but I was tired of concentrating. I let the wall down and faced away from the door. I could feel it beneath my feet, so I would know who was entering. I may not have been the best earth bender, but I had great mastery of seismic sense. It was like a second sight and took a lot less effort than actually seeing.

A hand on my shoulder told me that Leah was actually alone and it wasn't any kind of trick. I sat up and looked at her. Something must have told her I was really upset because the look on her face didn't exactly cheer me up.

"Is it true, what they are whispering?" she asked. "Are you really the Avatar?"

"Yes," I replied and looked away. It was what they had told me at least. I hadn't shown any signs of being able to bend the other elements ever. So I still didn't believe it. Leah's eyes got real wide. She probably didn't believe it either.

"Fire bend," she said quietly and looked at my hands.

"It doesn't work like that," I claimed. She shrugged and made fire come out of the palm of her hand. I focused and held my hand out. After a minute of staring at my hand, telling myself to fire bend, nothing happened.

I dropped my hand in aspiration and sighed. It was no use, there was no way I could be an avatar. Why did the spirits pick me? Why didn't they pick some other earth bender? I couldn't even metal bend.

Leah held the fire closer to me as if saying _take it and see what happens_. I remembered she was referring to the story my dad told about Avatar Aang learning to fire bend. He had been able to hold the fire in his hands, even before he could fully bend it. Without even thinking twice, or the danger this could do to my hands if it failed, I presented my hands to Leah as she transferred the fire into my palms. At first I wanted to drop it. I was used to cold rock in my hand, not hot fire. But the sensation changed to a warm feeling that empowered me. I knew better than to try and bend it without knowing how so I let the fire sit above my palm. It was mesmerizing. I was bending fire! Or at least, I was keeping it from going out in my hand. And that was something! The White Lotus guys were right; I was the Avatar. I could do something no other earth bender could do. For once I felt like I was actually doing something right.

A gasp at the door made me lose my concentration and the flame went out. I hadn't been paying attention to my surrounds, or else I would have known someone was walking to my room. I would have to learn how to bend more than one element at a time if I was going to keep up my observations of everything. Standing in the doorway was Hunter and his girlfriend Kylaya, a water bender. It had been Kylaya that gasped.

"I was just coming to see if you had let the guard down bro, I didn't expect you to be fire bending or anything. Damn, they tell you that you're the Avatar and suddenly you can bend ALL the elements? What the fuck is up with that?!" Hunter cursed at me and stormed off, leaving Kylaya standing in the doorway awkwardly.

"Is it true you guys have to move?" She asked quietly after a moment of silence. Leah turned and looked at me with a hurt expression on her face. This was definitely not the way I wanted her to find out. I would have to thank my brother later for this little awkward moment.

"Yeah. I start avatar training next week, so we'll be gone in the next few days I guess," I admitted and stared down at my hands. Kylaya walked away after that. My guess was that she saw Leah's face and knew she was the one to break the news, that or she really just didn't have anything else to say to me. I never really talked to her and after the moment I walked in on her and Hunter doing something I would rather not describe, we haven't really talked much. It was before I had mastered seismic sense and it was extremely embarrassing for all involved. I had decided after that awkward moment of my lifetime that I would master seismic sense, and master it quickly. I meditated on it for a while and within two weeks I had almost perfected it, and now I had it down without even thinking about it. That was, until I threw other elements into the mix.

When I looked back up at Leah she had a torn expression on her face. It was obvious she was trying to hide the fact that she was upset, but I knew she was also angry that I hadn't already told her. In my defense though I was going to, I just hadn't found the time yet. She was the one who told me to fire bend before we talked about anything else. It was like she was telling me she didn't believe it and that I should prove it. Well, I certainly proved it.

To my surprise, she stood up and left before I even knew what was happening. I couldn't find the voice in me to cry out for her, or I would have stopped her. Like most times in my life, I remained a coward and sat on my bed, instead of running after the one person I wanted to talk to the most; the one person I always wanted to talk to the most. The Avatar wasn't a coward, but I guess that was going to change with me.

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There's the first chapter :D. Do tell me what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

Sadly I don't own any of the ideas you see here unless you don't recognize him. Sorry for the delay in posting, things have been hectic

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Chapter 2: The move

Over the course of the following days after the visit of the White Lotus, my brother kept a constant reminder of how much I disrupted things at every chance he got. The times that he wasn't telling me I ruin everything, he was ruining everything with surprise tornados. It wasn't that he was causing them on purpose, or at least that's what he kept saying. I knew better. I knew he was pissed at me for a number of reasons. I had gone from the less talented quiet little earth bender to the Avatar and most important person on the earth. He was nowhere near happy about that. And to be honest, I wasn't either. Leah wasn't talking to me, she was avoiding me in school, she was never at her house when I dropped by, and she wasn't answering her phone. The time was ticking down before we were to leave for Capital City, and I really wanted to talk to her. So I was nowhere near happy with the whole situation either.

But there was something strange about the day before we were scheduled to move. I hadn't seen Hunter in a whole day, and his tornados were not fluttering up out of nowhere. Mom and dad were busy settling their jobs and making sure the members of the White Lotus who were helping us move got the right things in the right boxes. For the first time in a week, no one was paying attention to me. It was nice.

Within a day the whole school found out I was the Avatar. Many non-benders suddenly wanted to be my best friend and many benders were suddenly challenging me in the hall. I found out it wasn't because they didn't like me but more because they wanted to see more than one element bended at a time from one person. No one around here had ever seen an Avatar, so I was something to look at apparently. I didn't feel or think I looked any different since the big reveal as my brother called it. But more people were noticing me. And more people were really starting to annoy me. So today was nice.

It was a Saturday, so I didn't have to worry about the eyes and voices of many people wanting to talk to me or follow me. I was at peace for once, and I didn't know what to do about it.

My room was all packed up, and against my wishes, my metal rocks and regular rocks, that I often practiced bending with, had been taken by the White Lotus. They didn't want me bending again until I was safely tucked away in Capital City. Normally I followed the rules and stayed out of trouble, but this was once rule I knew wasn't possible. How can someone expect a sixteen-year-old kid who has been bending all his life to suddenly stop bending? It was a ridiculous request and one that I had already broken a few times.

I was lying in the center of my room, watching the entire movement of my house out of sheer boredom when it hit me: I could contact the spirit world. It was a ridiculous thing to think, because it would seem like that would have already been understood, but it really didn't click until now. I wasn't an air bender, so I didn't really spend much time meditating. I had watched my father do it for hours on end, and even my brother do it for a short time before he would get bored, but I had never tried it myself. While they were meditating mom and I were practicing becoming one with the earth. It was a similar thing to meditating, just with different goals in mind.

I sat up and crossed my legs, putting my fists together in front of me like I had seen in the pictures of Avatar Aang. I focused my mind on entering the spirit world. I wasn't really sure what else to do. I was excited that I would get to meet Aang and Korra. They were heroes of mine and now I knew they were part of me. It was weird being my own hero. After a minute or so I opened one eye. Nope, I was still in the physical world, or so I supposed. I knew little about the spiritual world except that I would be able to see past Avatars and something about glowing blue things. So nothing was glowing blue and I was the only one in the room.

I released a big sigh and closed my eye, trying once again. My mind focused really hard on entering the spirit world. I focused on making everything have a blue glow to it. I focused on talking to Aang and Korra and the other Avatars. I focused on my past. Maybe if I recalled the stories of the past Avatars it would help. Minutes passed and nothing seemed different. I slowly opened my eyes; I was still in the physical world. This was frustrating. I knew nothing about meditation. It wouldn't make sense that I couldn't connect with the spiritual side of being the Avatar, I was pretty good at connecting with things normally. I didn't really know what I was doing wrong.

An idea popped into my mind: I was sure my father could teach me a thing or two about meditation. I knew he was busy trying to help everything move smoothly, but I knew my mom could handle it and dad would probably be thrilled that is son The Avatar was asking him for help. He never really showed much interest in helping me before, but now he was all about it, so I might as well use that.

But what if the White Lotus didn't think that was a good idea? I wouldn't understand why going to the spirit world would be bad, but somehow I could see the White Lotus wanting me to wait until I was under their complete watch to do that. It would seem like something they would do. But I couldn't wait for someone to talk to me about this kind of thing. If I really was the Avatar I needed to make my own path, and talking to my dad about meditation would be the first step to doing that. And I needed to do that.

I found my dad talking to a White Lotus member, more like close to yelling, who was carrying an ancient lamp in his arms. It was obvious this guy was close to dropping it and dad kept yelling something about being careful to the guy. Frankly, I didn't think the guy was paying dad any attention, but oh well.

"Hey dad, can I ask you something?" I asked, scaring him a little.

His face lit up with joy. "Of course son! What is it?"

"Can we go to my room?"

A White Lotus member paused and looked at me suspiciously.

"It's about guy problems, or well, not problems but uh- things with guys and their bodies and uh-" the White Lotus member looked away embarrassed and moved back to loading things out the door. My dad also looked a little uncomfortable but followed me to my empty room.

"I'm not sure if I can handle answering what you may have in mind," my dad said after a moment of silence. I was checking the surroundings to make sure no one was close enough to hear me. My dad didn't know that though, so I'm sure to him it looked like I was waiting for him to say something.

"How do I meditate?" I bluntly asked. No need to beat around the bush in my thoughts.

"I uh- well- why do you want to meditate?" he inquired, giving me a suspicious look. What was with this whole suspicious thing today? Or any day really, it was the most common look to me now.

"Well," I started, trying to think about what I would say. "I see you meditate all the time and you stay pretty cool under most pressure and I'm kind of stressed out about this whole Avatar thing and maybe it could help me think better or something." I wasn't lying in all actuality. I wanted to see if that would actually happen as well. I just wasn't telling him the entire truth, and to me that seemed all right.

He smiled a little and continued, "Very well then. Unlike most of the things you have heard meditating can be easily achieved. There is no certain way you should sit, it is simply the most comfortable position for you. Once you are comfortable it is important you breathe deeply. That sends oxygen to your brain and allows it to open more. You want to try and empty your mind. Stop thinking about whatever is bothering you. If it helps, focus on staying as still and quiet as you can. Don't move or adjust anything at all; that will centralize yourself and keep you focused better. It seems odd to say think about nothing, but in all reality that is what you need to do. You need to clear your mind completely and let your senses take over. Revert everything to its natural state of relaxation. Does all of that make sense?"

I thought about it for a moment and then nodded. It did in a way make sense. It was like clearing a blocked path. I had to move the things that were bothering me from my past. I bowed to my father and thanked him. He returned the bow and made his way out of my room. He was proud; I could feel that vibrating through him. Normally the vibration that was like this was directed to Hunter so it was odd feeling it for me. But I knew it wasn't me exactly, it was the Avatar.

I returned to my previous formation of cross-legged with my fists touching. Dad said that didn't matter, but I felt like entering the spirit world was something different than just mediating.

My thoughts turned inward and I breathed in and out in a rhythmic way. There were a lot of things bothering me. Leah not speaking to me, everyone acting differently towards me, my brother being more pissed off at me than normal, and the fact that I was the Avatar. That was what was bothering me the most. It's not that I didn't think it was cool being the Avatar, I just didn't think that was me. How did they even know I was the Avatar anyway? I'd never shown aptitude towards any of the other elements, not even my own really.

This was helping clear my thoughts. If anything this was making me more anxious. I shook my entire body and tried again. Push the thoughts out. Leah needed to leave my mind. She wasn't an issue I could deal with right now. I wouldn't lose her forever. Things would be fine. The people acting differently towards me did not matter. I would be gone from that school. In fact, I would never be returning. Those people would become dim memories to me. They would look at the television and see me and that would be the only connection they would see towards me. I did not have to see their eyes or feel their energies. My brother would come around. He couldn't resent me forever. He never stayed mad at me long so his anger wasn't important. It was only slowing me down in my journey. He would see that and help me along the way. Being the Avatar was something I could not control. It would never be easy but would become more manageable as time went on. It would be just something I would have to learn to live with and it would become natural over time to hear and respond to that title.

I felt lighter. I could feel my breath. There was definitely something different. I opened one eye and gasped. I wasn't in my bedroom anymore! All of the past Avatars, all of me, were standing in front of me. At the head of them stood Korra! My mouth dropped. Aang was also behind her. It had worked! I couldn't believe it had actually worked. My dad was a genius! Well, he was an airbending master. So that was expected.

"About time I saw you!" Korra exclaimed with joy.

"I… I…" I muttered out, unable to form a full sentence.

"Give him space Korra, looks like he just found out he's the Avatar," Aang said, taking me in.

"Well, welcome Kori," Korra said with more composure. The other Avatars echoed her. It was unbelievable.

"I can't be the Avatar," I blurted out without thinking.

Aang laughed. "You sound a little like me."

"I'm a terrible bender!" I argued.

"And I once was terrible with the spirit world," Korra reminded me. That was true, but she could bend the elements, all except air, with ease.

"Have you even tried to bend the other elements?" Aang asked.

"The white lotus won't let me," I started. I heard a few gasps. "They are moving me to Capital City today where I will begin my training. They want me to be safe before then."

"Bending always kept me safe," Korra retorted, still unhappy with the White Lotus it seemed.

"How unfortunate," Avatar Roku spoke up. He stepped forward and frowned. "I got to travel the world learning the different elements. It seems as if times have changed."

"Well Capital City has all of the elements in it and there are enough masters of the elements for me to learn from them there."

Roku shrugged and mumbled something that I didn't quite catch.

"Why did you summon us?" Roku asked after a moment.

"I needed to know that I could do it," I stated with a shrug. "I also have no idea how to be an avatar. My brother is pissed at me because he wishes he could be the avatar. But he's an airbender so he never could be. I'm leaving my best friend here. Everyone expects so much of me and I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I'm only sixteen!"

Aang was the first to speak up. "Young Avatar. You have a lot to learn. I know things are different from when I was the avatar, mainly the fact that you said there were more airbenders. That is amazing. But your friends will find a way to stay your friends if they really are friends. As far as the whole 'how to be an Avatar thing' you'll learn with time. Don't worry too much about it. You will be able to channel our energies when you need us and the bending will come to you. The fact that you are in the spirit world right after you found out you're the Avatar shows that you are a strong Avatar. It takes time to be a fully mature Avatar."

I nodded and bowed to my past lives. I felt better about all of this. It made me feel like I could actually do this. I could be the Avatar. It would be okay.

"If I need you I will come back," I said and closed my eyes. I took a deep breath and the light feeling disappeared. A moment later I opened my eyes. Two members of the White Lotus were standing in front of me. I was expecting angry faces, but they seemed at ease.

"Welcome back Avatar," they both said in unison. I half smiled at them.

"If you want to go into the spirit world that is fine," one of them said.

"But let us know," the other one finished.

"You are in your most vulnerable state while in the spirit world and we need to make sure you are protected."

I nodded and stood up. They were taking this well, but that made sense. They wanted me to be the Avatar.

One of them ushered me out of my room and led me into the living room. Everything was gone. My house was bare. It must be time to leave. My mom and dad were present, dressed in dress robes. I looked down at my own attire. I was in an old t-shirt and ratty blue jeans. I suddenly felt under dressed.

"I don't have dress clothes on," I announced. My mom snickered as if to say _no really?_

The white lotus held out a box to me. I took the box and opened it. Inside was a formal earth-bending suit. It looked fancy and expensive. Someone said to go put it on and I obliged.

Looking at myself in the mirror in the bathroom I almost didn't recognize myself. Other than my unruly curly black hair, I was dressed like an earth bender attending a ball. I hoped we weren't going to a ball. I didn't know how to dance. The outfit fit me perfectly and was really comfortable. I had almost expected differently. But I was sure it was made from the finest threads so it should be comfortable.

When I reentered the living room I thought my mom was going to flat out start bawling. Her eyes were watered and my dad had the biggest grin on his face. Something was missing. Hunter was still not here.

"Where's Hunter?" I asked.

The White Lotus members looked at my parents and then back at me. It seems they had forgotten I had a twin brother.

"So that's what the other box is…" one of them mumbled under their breath.

My dad looked concerned. "He left out this morning and I told him not to go too far. You haven't seen him?"

"Not all day," I stated with a shrug. My mom said something and rushed off. I didn't catch what it said but I felt like I needed to follow her.

She had gone out of the front door and was looking around. Mainly her feet were looking around. I knew she was searching for his energy and form. Her face looked worried. She glanced at me for help. I grounded my feet in the ground and closed my eyes. Of course he would be nowhere to be found when we needed to leave. I grunted and searched as far as I could. There was nothing. I heard my mom pull out her phone and dial him. It rang, and rang, and rang. Voicemail. She sighed and ended the phone call.

I sent him a text _Need you home brother, _I typed and sent it.

_Sorry, your brother isn't available, _a reply came after a moment. At least he was alright. Annoying but alright.

_This isn't time to play. White Lotus is here and it's time to leave, _I shot back.

_Time for U to leave, not me, _the reply came.

"Is that your brother you're texting?" mom asked me. I nodded and showed her the text. She made a noise and looked at me. "It's time for us to go. He isn't even dressed."

"I know mom, you don't have to tell me that," I said.

_Where r u? _I sent to Hunter. There was a long pause and then,

_None ur business, _he replied.

I decided he would probably be at Kylaya's house. He was probably doing the dirty with her knowing him. I took off down the street telling mom I'd be back and turned the corner to the street where Kylaya lived.

When I arrived to Kylaya's house I knocked politely at her door. Her mom answered it and smiled. "Kori! How good to see you," she exclaimed. "I'm sure you want your brother right?"

I nodded. Kylaya's mom invited me in still mumbling and went off to presumably Kylaya's room. I wasn't familiar with their house and didn't want to invade their privacy with seismic sense.

A moment later a disgruntled Hunter stormed out of the hallway and glared at me. I just smiled.

"What do you want," he grumbled.

"It's time to go and you aren't even dressed in the air bending outfit the White Lotus have for you," I replied, trying to be sincere. I knew it would fail to him but I didn't really care.

"You're funny," he smarted off. "I am not wearing an air bending robe. I'd have to shave my head. I'm not a monk and it's taken a while for my hair to grow to this length. Why don't you just airbend and be me Mr. Avatar."

It was true that Hunter's hair was long for an air bender. His dark brown hair was past his ears and similar to mine, but without the curls. The arrow on his forehead was almost completely covered by hair, something our dad hated. Every chance he got our dad would try and talk Hunter into shaving his head. But Hunter simply liked his hair too much. I understood… I wouldn't want to be bald.

"Look, I don't want to go just as much as you don't," I bit back. "But we have to. The White Lotus are in charge of me now whether I like it or not, and since you are my brother they are in charge of you too. They'll have you arrested if you don't do as they say and you know it. So come back home with me or the White Lotus will deal with you."

My voice was harsher than it normally was, but I was really fed up with him and his whiney attitude. It wasn't easy for me either and I wasn't pitching this fit. He was being childish and irrational and it was really annoying. I was two seconds away from bending the earth around him to make him come with me when he dropped his shoulders and walked to me. I was a bit surprised, that was easier than I had expected.

Our walk back home was a silent one and he took the box with his clothes without complaining and didn't even back talk to dad when dad pulled out the electric razor. When he returned, freshly shaved and freshly dressed, it was as if I was looking at another person. The only way I knew it was Hunter was due to the scar on the right side of his head that he got when we were children and he had a run in with a fire bender. That was partially why he grew his hair out probably. I thought it was no big deal but he didn't like it.

"Everyone ready?" One of the two of the White Lotus guys asked. I nodded and everyone agreed. "Time to take you to Capital City!"

We left the house for the last time to see a big chariot waiting for us. It was open at the top, so that everyone could see us as we made our way to the city. The city was an hour away and I was glad it wasn't raining. It seemed to look like at one point there were horses attached to the chariot but now it had a driver. It was a pretty magnificent car. I turned around and looked at the house I had spent the first sixteen years of my life. It looked small and dinky now. It was empty. It was no longer my home.

* * *

So there's chapter two. Let me know what you think. Thanks for reading :D


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